1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a liquid and/or dry ingredient dispensing capsule that is utilized with a bottle, pack, pouch, carton, can or any other liquid container or into the cap or any other area of the container. The capsule stores liquid and/or dry substances which can be rapidly dispensed into the container by manual activation when desired and thereafter readily consumed by the user. The capsule may be pre-mounted in the container at the factory after the container itself is partially filled with a liquid or used with an existing container. A conventional container closure or cap is used to seal the container contents, including the capsule. The capsule can be sold separately or prepackage in the beverage container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many foods, drugs, cosmetics, adhesives, polishes, cleansers, dyes and other substances are frequently supplied in liquid, powder or crystal form and do not retain their stability, strength and effectiveness for long after they have been mixed in solution or suspension with a different liquid. This incompatibility after mixing therefore mandates that the product be utilized relatively soon after mixture to prevent loss of effective strength, deterioration, discoloration, interactions and the like. It is also important that admixtures of various ingredients be done under conditions wherein a measured amount of one ingredient is added to a measured amount of the other chemical to insure that proper results are obtained. The process of loss of effectiveness is often termed “shelf life.” Once two different chemicals are combined, the process of deterioration often begins.
Another concern involves merchandising of certain products, where it is frequently desirable to supply two companion products to the consumer in a single package. Thus, many products are, by their very nature, required to be used by the consumer shortly after their manufacture as they lose certain desirable characteristics with a short period of time, yet the product can be stored for extended periods of time if one ingredient is maintained separate from the other. In such case, the two ingredients may be mixed together to form the desired product shortly before use. In marketing such goods, it obviously is desirable that both ingredients be sold as part of the same package. From an aesthetic as well as a handling standpoint, it is desirable that but a single package be utilized for maintaining such compounds separated.
The use of conventional liquid containers such as plastic bottles for carrying water, juices, power drinks and other desirable liquids for human consumption is quite well known. There are, however, several non-active and active substances such as activated oxygen, vitamins, minerals, herbs, nutrients and flavors that would be desirable to be added to liquids such as water, juices or other beverages to give the consumer added benefits, particularly those useful for the health of the consumer. Many of the substances, however, that provide additional benefits when mixed into another liquid have short shelf lives, discolor, interact or degrade quickly when combined with liquids or other substances. Therefore, many beverages are currently sold without the added beneficial ingredients.
It is known in the art to provide dispensers containing a concentrate of soluble materials to a fixed quantity of solute, usually water, for dispensing. Thus, the prior art teaches containers for beverages wherein the interior of the container is divided into a compartment having a basic ingredient and a compartment which can be ruptured so as to mix, within the container the basic ingredient and some form of modifier, diluent or flavoring. The basic reason for this prior art container is to provide the mixing action at the time of consumption since prior mixing would have adverse effects. The basic ingredient is often not suitable for consumption by itself and requires mixing with a diluent/modifier prior to consumption.
Prior art intra-container mixing prior to use was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,222 to Steigerwald comprising an open threaded container containing a liquid, a powder containing releasable receptacle sealed with foil which is cut by a cutting mandrel during screwing of the receptacle onto the container. Unlike the present invention, the Steigerwald arrangement situates a powder containing receptacle on top of rather than within the container and utilizes a cutting means rather than a two-part sealed plunger means to confine then discharge the receptacle contents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,126 to Guild discloses a baby bottle fluid mixing system comprising a pre-stored powdered substance confined within a first upper container screw disposed atop a second lower container separated by an internal stemmed disk sealed in a snap fit arrangement at the aperture between the bottles, which descends into the lower bottle after removal from the aperture for use. The present invention discloses a capsule body insertable in but not screwed onto a liquid containing bottle and further comprises two sealable plugs or closures rather than one snap fit plug and a disposable, non-reusable interior mounted capsule versus top threaded reusable upper container for pre-stored dry or liquid.
Another such device for separate storage and subsequent mixing of two products was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,142 to DiPalma which comprised a first ingredient container, a second ingredient dispenser compartment plunger arrangement with a weakened wall region inserted within and separated from the container, a removable container closure connected to the plunger and a plunger projection for engagement which ruptures the weakened wall region to release the second ingredient into the first ingredient container. Unlike the present invention, DiPalma's singular sealing means is the reservoir for the second ingredient and fails to create upon activation an orifice for immediate dispensing of the mixed products.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,644 to Gueret discloses a container separately storing, then mixing and dispensing two products in which a first liquid containing bottle is separated by a movable wall from a second reservoir containing powder. Force applied to a cylindrical piston in the direction toward the dispensing orifice of the container cuts the seal between the two reservoirs, thereby facilitating the combination and mixing of the two products within the first reservoir of the container. The Gueret apparatus differs from all embodiments of the present invention in that the piston is an integral portion of the slideable base which is snapably attached to the bottle and when compressed with external manual pressure breaks the seals, pushing the contents up into the bottom portion of the liquid-containing bottle thereby accomplishing the mixing of the two products and simultaneously reducing the exterior dimensions of the bottle. The present invention dispenses the dry product without a piston or slideable base integrated within the bottle nor does the overall size of the bottle change during use.
Another separate storage and dispensing device was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,907 to Morane which comprised a bottle for liquid having at its neck a leak proof envelope separately storing and enclosing additional product, with a slidable push button perforator in the cap on the bottle neck which opens the envelope to discharge the envelope contents into the liquid in the bottle, thereafter being dispensed through a duct in the cap rather than passing through the perforated center cap area as is the case with the present invention. Morane is also not a two plug system as is the present invention.
The present invention provides a liquid and/or dry ingredients containing capsule that is inserted into any type liquid container including packs, bags, cans and plastic or glass bottles. With a bottle as an example, the capsule may be mounted typically within the neck or throat of a liquid container having a conventional screw off cap, such as a bottle of water. The capsule includes a manual dispenser. The capsule ingredients are completely sealed within the capsule body, and remain separated from the liquid in the bottle until the exact moment of usage, which is determined by the consumer by manually dispensing the capsule ingredients (powder or liquid). The capsule can also be conveniently mounted in the throat of the bottle or within/under a standard prior art pull-up liquid dispenser cap without interfering with the sealing of the bottle itself in its normal capping operation. The capsule can be mounted to or within any type of package or carton through the package wall at any location. Thus, active ingredients, e.g. activated oxygen, vitamins, herbs, nutrients or other substances having a short activity life (shelf life) when added to a particular liquid can now be safely and sealably stored in a capsule until time for use and can be subsequently added to the desired liquid, thereby ensuring that the shelf life and time of activity of the materials are not jeopardized even though they are housed within the liquid container.
The present invention also offers the advantage that it does not require significant modification of existing liquid containers, packages, cartons, bottle caps or existing bottles. In fact, it can be inserted into existing bottles without interfering with the sealability of the conventional bottle and bottle cap.
None of the above prior art taken either alone or in combination, describes, suggests or renders obvious the instant invention as claimed.